ISSN:
1463-1369
Language:
English
Titel der Quelle:
Asian ethnicity : ae
Publ. der Quelle:
Abingdon : Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group
Angaben zur Quelle:
Vol. 18, No. 3 (2017), p. 371
DDC:
370
Abstract:
Through an analysis of popular posts Tibetans shared over the social media application WeChat in 2013 and 2014 and offline discussions about them, this paper shows how Tibetans living in and traveling through Xining City practiced and performed their ethnic identity in the face of perceived harassment. Through their viral posts, they created a cyber-community that contributed to Tibetan ethnic group formation when Tibetans interpreted their ethnic identity as the basis for unjust treatment by the Chinese state and private Han individuals. In online posts the Han are portrayed as harassing Tibetans after terror attacks across China, violating minzu rights, denigrating Tibetan culture and territory, and denying Tibetans equal footing as modern compatriots. Social media are changing the 'representational politics' of Tibetan ethnicity, altering participation in the representation of the Tibetan ethnic group. Still, online discourse remains subject to constraints; private offline discussions remain important fora of opinion exchange.
Note:
Copyright: © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group 2016
DOI:
10.1080/14631369.2016.1178062
URL:
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14631369.2016.1178062
